Serpentine Mercy
by Meg Kenobi
Summary: Remus Lupin's capture could be the death of the Order of the Phoenix. Severus Snape's intervention brings an unlikely salvation.


Serpentine Mercy by Meg Kenobi Rating: PG-13 afirmation@aol.com  
  
Summary: "So you understand then the predicament in which we are mired." Remus Lupin has been captured, leaving the survival of the Order in the hands of Severus Snape, agent of ambiguous allegiance. Will he be able to make the most difficult choice?  
  
Disclaimer: I do not happen to be J.K. Rowling. Obviously I do not own Harry Potter or any of its respective trademarks. No infringement is intended and no profit is made from this work.  
  
Author's Note: Short one-shot here. There are some undertones that my Beta pointed out seem rather slashy. You may interpret them as makes you most comfortable. They were not intentionally inserted, but aren't impossible; my subconscious is a slasher. Also, I rote this in mind of the snake in Le Petit Prince. If you're familiar with it, I think you will see why.  
  
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Severus sneered at the broken man at his feet. Silently, secretly he marveled that the werewolf had held up this long in his frail human form. He had displayed surprising strength, summoned from some inner bastion Snape had not fathomed. Perhaps an internal scream for vengeance or kinder memory. It did not matter. The fool's courage would not last.  
"Crucio." Another curse burst from Malfoy's lips, betraying no premeditation or emotion, only slight annoyance. Remus convulsed in agony, his eyes wide and desperate, imploring the stoic Snape, who watched the spectacle with a lesser measure of detachment, but an equal degree of disgust. Remus must have known it was impossible, even as the face staring down at him contorted in a rare mix of pity and revulsion. Remus lay still then, breathing shallow and pained. Severus jerked his boot from where Remus's face had fallen upon it and stepped back sharply. He could do nothing.  
"Is he still resisting, Master?" Malfoy questioned, raising his wand in anticipation.  
"He is surprisingly skilled in Occlumency, but he will give in. Severus," the Dark Lord replied.  
"Yes, My Lord?" Severus answered smoothly, trying not to betray his fear that the Dark Lord had noticed his aversion to the evening's sport.  
"Take him to your things. Give him something to stop this futile resistance. His information is too valuable to risk at cost of amusement. When he has spoken, you may destroy him as you see fit." Severus's heart seemed to stall at the suggestion. The opportunity. Escape was beyond consideration, but now there was a viable possibility. Severus moved to pull Remus to his feet, but he crumpled shortly to the ground. Severus instead withdrew his wand.  
"Mobilus Corpus." Remus did not fight the spell's lift, despite the immense discomfort he must have been experiencing in his state, but merely slumped in midair as Severus maneuvered him into the small room his Master had given him to prepare his potions. He released Remus from the spell and the man collapsed against him, clinging desperately at Severus's robes for anything that would hold him erect. Severus lowered the man carefully into a chair, fighting the impulse to distance himself from the humanity as thoroughly and quickly as was possible.  
"You have given an impressive little show of resistance, wolf. I must say I am pleasantly surprised all the work I poured into you was to any avail."  
"Severus--."  
"But you certainly won't last. The Dark Lord is a Legilmens like no other and Malfoy will torture you until you spill every pathetic thought that has ever crossed your mind, including every confidentiality you have ever witnessed."  
"I can't betray the Order," Remus choked.  
"So you understand then the predicament in which we are mired. I cannot spare you. It would reveal far too much. Any mercy I allow you even now endangers me. But at the same time, you cannot be violated. It would ruin the Order."  
"What are you suggesting, Severus?"  
"The only plausible course of action." Severus walked to the cabinet, unstopped a vessel, and poured a liquid from it into a small flask. He withdrew a small vial from his own robes and emptied it into the flask.  
"Drink this," Severus offered the glass to Remus. He raised the flask in surprising trust, but paused with the glass to his lips.  
"What is it?" Remus questioned without accusation or suspicion, but only vague curiosity.  
"Diluted Veritaserum. And concentrated nightshade. It is the only way, Remus."  
"Then we must act quickly." He downed the concoction with his own mixture of courage and resignation. The Veritaserum blanked his eyes almost instantly, a trait the Dark Lord would expect to see.  
"Severus, I'm sorry, we misjudged you," Remus whispered.  
"Mobilus Corpus. It's all right. It's in the past."  
"I miss Sirius," his voice was paper thin and wrought with misery.  
"I know. Not much longer. You'll see him soon enough." Snape deposited the man at Malfoy's feet.  
"Crucio," Malfoy spat for good measure. Remus convulsed violently, screaming. It ended, and Remus's eyes darted, terrified. Blood tricked from his nose and mouth, but suddenly, impossible a smile played through those desperate eyes.  
"Sirius!" he whispered, shuddering slightly. Then Remus Lupin lay perfectly, permanently still.  
Severus Snape prodded the corpse with his foot, knocking it out of the fetal position and onto its back.  
"Damn it, Malfoy. Exercise a little self control, would you? Look at this. Look at this blood. You've given him a massive brain bleed. I cannot fix that. You have wasted him. Utterly wasted our most precious resource." Severus Snape turned coldly, exhausted. Slaughter was the snake's only mercy.  
  
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